Singing Tradition: Welsh Plygain Carol 

Well, you obviously know something as you can say 'Cymru am byth!' Try 'SaySomethinginWelsh' online if you want to know more.

There's now an excellent course on Duolingo, and a wonderful, vibrant community of learners from all around the world on a FB page dedicated to people doing Duolingo Welsh. I recommend it. Byddwch chi'n rhugl os byddwch chi'n adolygu bob dydd!

My family are Welsh speakers. North Wales is where you go to hear the language spoken. It's everyday language and English is spoken as a second language. My father learnt English at school.

Da iawn Neil!!! Croeso i'r teulu!!!

I am half Welsh and half English. My Dad never taught us much of the language. I've made it my mission to try to learn as much as I can. There are plenty of books and online lessons if you are interested.

Although It is a Celtic language, it does have a number of Hebrew words in it, and some think the resemblances in grammar and syntax are uncanny. I'm not saying we're the lost tribe of Israel though as that would be ridiculous. Of course there are biblical allusions in this carol, not just Hebrew but Greek, 'alpha & omega'. I remember learning this song in the Christmas of 2019 before lockdown closed down the world. Marianne from Abergavenny, Wales

@@rogerdavies8586 No, no it does not. Cymraig and ancient Hebrew have very different roots, this idea that the two languages are 'similar' is a persistent myth that really needs to go away. Welsh has a number of French words, ffenestr for window for example but I do not see anyone trying to claim that Welsh and French are similar. We use Tacsi for Taxi. Ambiwlans for ambulance. And so on. As for Syntax, sorry, but there are syntax groups for languages, as well as word order groups. Just because syntax and word order is similar does NOT mean the languages are similar. Welsh for example is a VSO (Verb-subject-object) language, as is Hebrew, but then so are a whole shit ton of other languages, including Afroasiatic, Austronesioan, Mayan, Oto-Mangeuan, Salishan and many mesoamerican languages.... But no one is trying to claim THEY are similar to Welsh! Love from Aber Bargoed.... Wales.....

@@alganhar1 someone with sense at last! I’m so sick of the “lost tribe” argument on half these Welsh videos. I’m not a linguist myself but imo, anyone with sense can see it’s a long stretch at absolute best. But people still run with it…

@@alganhar1 Thank you for explaining that. I thought it was a myth tbh. Diolch yn fawr.

Incidentally,when the British government insisted that all schooling should be through the medium of the English language ,the singing of these hymns and carols helped to keep the Welsh language alive.The government began this in Wales in the mid 1880's .. QUOTE:-example of the effects on the Welsh language is the first section of the 1535 Act, which states: "the people of the same dominion have and do daily use a speche nothing like ne consonant to the naturall mother tonge used within this Realme" and then declares the intention "utterly to extirpe alle and singular sinister usages and customs" belonging to Wales.[3] Section 20 of the 1535 Act makes English the only language of the law courts and that those who used Welsh would not be appointed to any public office in Wales: Also be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Justices, Commissioners, Sheriffs, Coroners, Escheators, Stewards, and their Lieutenants, and all other Officers and Ministers of the Law, shall proclaim and keep the Sessions Courts, Hundreds, Leets, Sheriffs Courts, and all other Courts in the English Tongue; (2) and all Oaths of Officers, Juries and Inquests, and all other Affidavits, Verdicts and Wager of Law, to be given and done in the English Tongue; (3) and also that from henceforth no Person or Persons that use the Welsh Speech or Language, shall have or enjoy any manner Office or Fees within this Realm of England, Wales, or other the King's Dominion, upon Pain of forfeiting the same Offices or Fees, unless he or they use and exercise the English Speech or Language. An effect of this language clause was to lay the foundation for creating a thoroughly Anglicised ruling class of landed gentry in Wales, which would have many consequences. The parts of the 1535 Act relating to language were definitively repealed only in 1993, by the Welsh Language Act 1993, though annotations on the Statute Law Database copy of the act reads that sections 18-21 were repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1887.[citation needed] In July 1846, the British Government appointed three commissioners to enquire into the state of education in Wales; the Commissioners were all monoglot English-speakers.[4] The Commissioners reported to the Government on 1 July 1847 in three large blue-bound volumes. This report quickly became known as Brad y Llyfrau Gleision (The Treachery of the Blue Books) as, apart from documenting the state of education in Wales, the Commissioners were also free with their comments disparaging the language, Non-conformity, and the morals of the Welsh people in general. An immediate effect of the report was for a belief to take root in the minds of ordinary people that the only way for Welsh people to get on in the world was through the medium of English, and an inferiority complex developed about the Welsh language whose effects have not yet been completely eradicated. The historian Professor Kenneth O. Morgan referred to the significance of the report and its consequences as "the Glencoe and the Amritsar of Welsh history.} UNQUOTE ...but didn't just confine it to Welsh ,Irish,Scottish and Cornish speakers,they did this throughout the commonwealth.The effects are still felt in Britain,although we are prouder than ever of our heritage these days.You might like this as a (fairly) modern defiant song.Sung by the man who wrote it-and many times we finish the evening down the pub with it.... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WooUv0QttKs.html

English non-singable translation by Barry Tobin: For this day morning, as a little babe, as a little babe, Was born the root of Jesse, as a little babe; The Strong One from Bosra, The Lawgiver on Sina, The Just One on Calvary, as a little babe, as a little babe, Suckling on Mary’s breast, as a little babe. The living water of Ezechiel on Mary’s knee, on Mary’s knee, And Daniel’s true Messiah, on Mary’s knee; The wise boy of Isaiah, The promise made to Adam, The Alpha and Omega, on Mary’s knee, on Mary’s knee, In a stable in Bethlehem of Juda, on Mary’s knee. Christ took off his crown, so he willed, so he willed, To place a crown on Zion, so he willed; To bow his kingly head, To wear a crown of thorns, To face ferocious mocking, so he willed, so he willed, To lift up the guilty head, so he willed. So now, you sinner hasten, as you are, as you are, To ask for the sanctuary, as you are; To you a fount now opens, To wash your darkened wounds Like whitened snow in Zalmon, as you are, as you are, Come therefore in good time, as you are.

+x The tradition has yet to die out: many chapels still hold plygain sessions at Xmas although not as early in the morning!

I went to one a couple weeks ago. :)

There was little unruliness or drinking connected to plygain. Most of the services were early in the morning, like 3a.m! That had more to do wi th it.

You can hear Bryn Terfel sing this on You Tube but these three are better, They capture the essence.

can you add an English translation please?

@@gammle-vikingr For the sake of this very morning As a little baby, a little baby Was born the root of Jesse As a little baby; The Strong one who came from Bosra, The Lawmaker of old on Sinai, The Redemption to be had on Calvary As a little baby, a little Baby, Suckling the breast of Mary, As a little Baby. The life-giving water of Ezekiel is found On Mary's knee, on Mary's knee, And the true Messiah of Daniel On Mary's knee; Here is the wise boychild of Isaiah, The promise made to Adam, The Alpha and Omega On Mary's knee, on Mary's knee; In the stall in Beth'lem of Judah, On Mary's knee. Christ took off his crown, Of his free-will, of his free-will, In order to crown Zion, Of his free-will; To bow his undefiled head Under the thorny crown To suffer enraged derision, Of his free-will, of his free-will, To raise the head of the guilty, Of his free-will. Therefore, sinner, hurry, As thou art, as thou art, To ask for his Sanctuary, As thou art; For thee the well was opened Which washes thy black wounds Like the white snow on Salmon, As thou art, as thou art, For that, come promptly, As thou art.

Ar gyfer heddiw'r bore

For this day morning, as a little babe, as a little babe, Was born the root of Jesse, as a little babe; The Strong One from Bosra, The Lawgiver on Sinai3, The Just One on Calvary, as a little babe, as a little babe, Suckling on Mary’s breast, as a little babe. The living water of Ezekiel on Mary’s knee, on Mary’s knee, And Daniel’s true Messiah, on Mary’s knee; The wise boy of Isaiah, The promise made to Adam, The Alpha and Omega, on Mary’s knee, on Mary’s knee, In a stable in Bethlehem of Judah, on Mary’s knee. Christ took off his crown, so he willed, so he willed, To place a crown on Zion, so he willed; To bow his kingly head, To wear a crown of thorns, To face ferocious mocking, so he willed, so he willed, To lift up the guilty head, so he willed. So now, you sinner hasten, as you are, as you are, To ask for the sanctuary, as you are; To you a fount now opens, To wash your darkened wounds Like whitened snow in Zalmon, as you are, as you are, Come therefore in good time, as you are.

The language is beyond me but I hate to miss a plygain. My spirit is uplifted when a community comes together so I'm happy to report a rising interest in reviving the tradition. Before covid-19 lockdowns there were a few in my immediate area, one had to move to a larger venue to accommodate an unexpectedly large attendance. When we've collectively conquered Covid-19 what better celebration than a giant plygain in every village and town in Wales?

Mae. nhw'n canolpwyntio. Marianne